How to Survive a Recession

 How to Survive a Recession

Unemployment, stock market crashes, foreclosures, and increasing national debt are topics that preoccupy¹ Americans today. Most of us are worried, if not petrified², about our financial future. Thoughts about how to survive permeate³ our lives. We function under the belief that if we don’t work all the time, we will miss an opportunity or lose what we have.

What we may not know is that we need more than financial health to secure our future. We need emotional, relational, spiritual and cognitive⁴ well-being⁵ as well. This means feeling that we have an overall sense of happiness. If not, scholars note, we won’t flourish to our full capacity; we won’t be as productive and successful as we can be. Researchers have found that people who have an increased sense of well-being or happiness thrive in every domain⁶ including work.

But how can we attend to all our needs without compromising our economic vitality⁷? The answer is pleasure. Researchers have found that engaging in pleasure results in greater happiness. Happy people get more things in life because they engage in more pleasure. Not only that, but the most sought after pleasures cost little in terms of time and money.

Some Pleasurable Activities That You Can Do

The following are but a few examples of pleasurable activities that are free, require little time, and have been documented by researchers to increase well-being:

Rocking

Rocking in a chair, being on a boat, swinging on a swing, or swaying in a hammock relieves physical and emotional ailments⁸. Rocking is argued to be an activity that relieves stress, fear, pain, loneliness, and anger. It has also been documented to heal heart attacks, strokes, arthritis⁹, colds, diabetes¹⁰, and cancer. Rocking is a soothing¹¹ technique that is practiced universally in different ways. Rocking produces reactions in the body such as lowered blood pressure and slowing of respiration¹². These physical reactions tap into the pleasure centers of the brain and produce endorphins that make the body feel pleasured.

Doing Nothing

Doing nothing promotes clarity, sense of connection, energy, positive mood, and calmness. Doing nothing is sometimes referred to as mindfulness or meditating¹³. Other meditative¹⁴ experiences include praying, running, listening to music, etc. Pleasure is experienced when we meditate¹⁵ because it often brings us to another state of being. In a meditative state, your sense of self and your environment is altered. Additionally, meditative experiences provide a space for one to regenerate¹⁶ energy, hope, and perspective. Meditation¹⁷ has been described as “the best natural high” and has been reported to provide a feeling of “restful, silent, and of heightened alertness.”

Exercise

Exercise takes as much or as little time as you have. A mere¹⁸ 10 minutes per day makes a big difference. Not surprisingly, researchers report that exercisers are happier than non-exercisers. Exercise contributes to physical and emotional well-being including sexual functioning. People who exercise regularly are at much lower risk of depression and anxiety than those who do not. Exercise increases memory, concentration and clarity of thinking.

Food/Eating

Eating is a universal pleasure. Furthermore, a lack of nutrients¹⁹ such as calcium²⁰, iron, folic acid, magnesium²¹, etc. is correlated to cognitive and emotional ailments such as depression, anxiety, etc. The only requirement for pleasurable dining is having the intention to make it pleasurable. The French, for example, are famous for the pleasure they get out of eating. That means paying attention to what we eat, making sure we eat sitting down, giving thanks for our food, and/or setting a nice table.

Music

Listening to music can be one of the most exhilarating and motivating experiences. There is overwhelming evidence that music alters mood in a positive way. Music changes our physical and emotional states. Music helps us sleep and reduces anxiety, depression, pain, stress, developmental disorders²², traumatic brain injury, etc. Sound is vibration²³ and every part of our bodies feel the vibration, even our cells. Joshua Leads in The Power of Sound says that “sound touches us and influences our emotion like no other source of input²⁴.”

Social Contact

Researchers and therapists often prescribe social contact and support when increasing well-being. Happy people engage in more social activities than those who are not as happy. Scholars maintain that in order to have a happy and satisfying life, we must have connections with others. Furthermore, it has been noted²⁵ that those of us with strong social networks and connections fare better in situations of adversity. Finding ways to connect with others in a way that doesn’t interfere²⁶ with other responsibilities is a really smart choice as it is the one activity that researchers repeatedly mention to be beneficial to our well-being.

Positivity

People report that thinking about positive things gives them pleasure (e.g. how grateful you are about something, how good a person is, something exciting happening). Not surprisingly, researchers have noted that happy people tend to have more positive thoughts than those who are not as happy. Happy people see the good before they see the bad. Happy people believe in themselves, others, and the world. One way to experience more positivity is by finding positive reasons for why things happen. Researchers have found that people who attribute positive understandings to events or actions are happier. Dr. Fredrickson suggests that you ask what is going right or what is good right now to shed light as to the positive aspects of an event or interaction.

How to Do Them

How can we engage in more pleasurable activities when there isn’t enough time to do what we have to do as it is? First, give yourself a set amount of time to engage in pleasure. Setting a limit to the time you will spend in pleasure will reduce your anxiety about it. Start of with 15 minutes per day. Try to really engage with what you are doing or thinking during that time by making your mind stay focused. Don’t let it wonder off. If it does, bring it back to what you are doing.

Second, when you do every day things (e.g. washing the dishes, cleaning, driving, eating, grocery shopping, spending time with family/friends, etc.) try and slow the process down so that you enjoy the moment. For example, instead of rushing when you go grocery shopping, take 10 minutes more and enjoy the experience. Ten minutes will not break you as far as time is concerned. You may have to remind myself over and over again that you don’t have to rush.

Third, breathe. How difficult is it to breathe? Very. Each breath may highlight your emotions. At the same time, each breath may give you relief from your emotions.

Fourth, when you start to think about work, fears, the economy, etc., ask yourself, “What is stopping me from feeling pleasure right now?” Generally, thoughts about the future or past and the fear or anxiety that they produce, stop people from feeling pleasure. Also, thoughts that something bad will happen because you are having a good time will limit the pleasure you feel. Many of us believe that any happiness or enjoyment²⁷ is followed by sadness or bad times.

Finally, find something you enjoy doing. A key ingredient to maximizing pleasure is finding activities that match you. If you are a person who doesn’t like loud noise, a rock concert would not be pleasurable no matter how many other people find it pleasurable. Engage in your own version of pleasure even if it is only for 15 minutes a day. After all, pleasure will help you regenerate your strength if only to handle the economic reality that we face.

1 preoccupy   

vt.使全神贯注，使入神

参考例句：

• But at the moment he had other things to preoccupy him.不过当时有另外的事情分了他的心。
• An intelligent man considers the prospect of failure,but he doesn't preoccupy himself with pointless worry.一个聪明的男人可以预见到失败，但他绝不会去无谓地担心。

2 petrified   

adj.惊呆的；目瞪口呆的v.使吓呆，使惊呆；变僵硬；使石化(petrify的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• I'm petrified of snakes. 我特别怕蛇。
• The poor child was petrified with fear. 这可怜的孩子被吓呆了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 permeate   

v.弥漫，遍布，散布；渗入，渗透

参考例句：

• Water will easily permeate a cotton dress.水很容易渗透棉布衣服。
• After a while it begins to permeate through your skin.过了一会，它会开始渗入你的皮肤。

4 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

5 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

6 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

7 vitality   

n.活力，生命力，效力

参考例句：

• He came back from his holiday bursting with vitality and good health.他度假归来之后，身强体壮，充满活力。
• He is an ambitious young man full of enthusiasm and vitality.他是个充满热情与活力的有远大抱负的青年。

8 ailments   

疾病（尤指慢性病），不适( ailment的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His ailments include a mild heart attack and arthritis. 他患有轻度心脏病和关节炎。
• He hospitalizes patients for minor ailments. 他把只有小病的患者也送进医院。

9 arthritis   

n.关节炎

参考例句：

• Rheumatoid arthritis has also been linked with the virus.风湿性关节炎也与这种病毒有关。
• He spent three months in the hospital with acute rheumatic arthritis.他患急性风湿性关节炎，在医院住了三个月。

10 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

11 soothing   

adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的

参考例句：

• Put on some nice soothing music.播放一些柔和舒缓的音乐。
• His casual, relaxed manner was very soothing.他随意而放松的举动让人很快便平静下来。

12 respiration   

n.呼吸作用；一次呼吸；植物光合作用

参考例句：

• They tried artificial respiration but it was of no avail.他们试做人工呼吸，可是无效。
• They made frequent checks on his respiration,pulse and blood.他们经常检查他的呼吸、脉搏和血液。

13 meditating   

a.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• They were meditating revenge. 他们在谋划进行报复。
• The congressman is meditating a reply to his critics. 这位国会议员正在考虑给他的批评者一个答复。

14 meditative   

adj.沉思的，冥想的

参考例句：

• A stupid fellow is talkative;a wise man is meditative.蠢人饶舌，智者思虑。
• Music can induce a meditative state in the listener.音乐能够引导倾听者沉思。

15 meditate   

v.想，考虑，（尤指宗教上的）沉思，冥想

参考例句：

• It is important to meditate on the meaning of life.思考人生的意义很重要。
• I was meditating,and reached a higher state of consciousness.我在冥想，并进入了一个更高的意识境界。

16 regenerate   

vt.使恢复，使新生；vi.恢复，再生；adj.恢复的

参考例句：

• Their aim is to regenerate British industry.他们的目的是复兴英国的工业。
• Although it is not easy,you have the power to regenerate your life.尽管这不容易，但你有使生活重获新生的能力。

17 meditation   

n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录

参考例句：

• This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。
• I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

18 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

19 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

20 calcium   

n.钙(化学符号Ca)

参考例句：

• We need calcium to make bones.我们需要钙来壮骨。
• Calcium is found most abundantly in milk.奶含钙最丰富。

21 magnesium   

n.镁

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The water contains high amounts of magnesium.这水含有大量的镁。

22 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

23 vibration   

n.颤动，振动；摆动

参考例句：

• There is so much vibration on a ship that one cannot write.船上的震动大得使人无法书写。
• The vibration of the window woke me up.窗子的震动把我惊醒了。

24 input   

n.输入(物)；投入；vt.把(数据等)输入计算机

参考例句：

• I will forever be grateful for his considerable input.我将永远感激他的大量投入。
• All this information had to be input onto the computer.所有这些信息都必须输入计算机。

25 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

26 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

27 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。